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Bradamante's angsty philosophical rant of the day -- Bread and circuses

BradamanteBradamante
edited 2011-07-26 23:10:49 in General
Give someone bread and circuses, and they will sell out their most deeply held beliefs. Oh, not for anything, and not immediately, but sooner or later everyone has their price.

Take the Jews, for example. The USA finally did what every other country since the dawn of time has tried to do: it got rid of Judaism. And the genius of it is, it didn't do it with persecution, but with diversion. It gave the Jews bread and circuses, and we ate the bread on passover and watched the circuses on our High Holidays. Judaism has all but died in the US, thanks to bread and circuses.

I'd like to pretend that I'm so different. But am I? I believe in liberty. I believe in equality. And yet I seek out being dominated. Could it be that protection and sexual gratification are just my bread and circuses? My price?
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Comments

  • ForzareForzare
    Till shade is gone, till water is gone, into the Shadow with teeth bared, screaming defiance with the last breath, to spit in Sightblinder’s eye on the last Day.
    Do you want to be dominated in general, or just in the bedroom?  Because if it's the second, I don't think that there is that big of a contradiction.
  • HatterHatter
    Glaives are better.

    When you feel welcomed, the things that mark you as different seem to matter less. 

    Don't worry. It's happened to Christianity, too. There's just more Christians than there are Jews, so it's taking longer.


  • BradamanteBradamante

    Do you want to be dominated in general, or just in the bedroom? 
    Because if it's the second, I don't think that there is that big of a
    contradiction.

    It is...complex. I am not naturally submissive in general. But I will submit to someone I love romantically. This submission is erotic for me, but it extends outside the bedroom.
  • ForzareForzare
    Till shade is gone, till water is gone, into the Shadow with teeth bared, screaming defiance with the last breath, to spit in Sightblinder’s eye on the last Day.
    But that's not really infringing on your liberty, is it?  You choose to be submissive, and it's only with someone you love romantically, so you could break it off if you wanted.  You have the liberty to be dominated, if you so choose, and you have the liberty to choose to end your submissive relationship.

    /completely talking out of his ass
  • HatterHatter
    Glaives are better.

    Brad, this whole submission thing seems to be a theme for you.

    Forzare, I think it's an illusion. Humans love illusions.

  • ForzareForzare
    Till shade is gone, till water is gone, into the Shadow with teeth bared, screaming defiance with the last breath, to spit in Sightblinder’s eye on the last Day.
    Forzare, I think it's an illusion. Humans love illusions.
    I'm not sure what you mean.
  • HatterHatter
    Glaives are better.

    As you said, she'd have the liberty to end it whenever she chose. But like a good story, it's the willing suspension of disbelief that makes the experience enjoyable. She suspends her willingness to exercise self control, so that she can enjoy herself on a deeper level.

  • BradamanteBradamante
    edited 2011-07-27 00:32:47

    Brad, this whole submission thing seems to be a theme for you.


    ^^^ 'Splain...
  • HatterHatter
    Glaives are better.
    In other posts, you've made clear your romantic feelings towards submission and being dominated by someone.
  • InsanityAddictInsanityAddict
    Diet NEET
    Not sure what point OP is making. Do you mean consumerist society destroys people's ideals by gorging them into complacency/hedonism?
  • MillerCrossMillerCross
    You can change. You can.
    I think her point is that she may not hold herself to her own ideals, if she's offered something she values more than them (In this case, domination)
  • The_EdgeThe_Edge
    Mr. The Edge goes to Washington
    I am confused by the vague philosophical rant, but I am interested.
  • BradamanteBradamante
    It's not just about me. It's about the nature of humanity. We're so easily distracted from our intellects and our morals by silly diversions.
  • The_EdgeThe_Edge
    Mr. The Edge goes to Washington
    Okay, is that all?
  • vandrovandro
    He who laments and can't let go of the past is forever doomed to solitude.
    Then hold morals that don't go counter your favorite diversions.
  • HatterHatter
    Glaives are better.
    Speaking of which, you completely negated my interest in your philosophical argument when you mentioned delicious delicious submission.
  • BradamanteBradamante
    ^ On the part of you? Or your partner?
  • Super LazuliSuper Lazuli
    yea i make potions if ya know what i mean
    I thought this was going to be about a blog called "Bread and Circuses".

    I have no idea why I thought that, especially since, to my knowledge no such blog exists.
  • HatterHatter
    Glaives are better.
    My interest. Not anyone else's.
  • DonZabuDonZabu
    edited 2011-07-27 23:30:07
    >to my knowledge no such blog exists.

    Seriously? You'd think at least one nut would've latched on to that one.

    EDIT: Nevermind, they did:

  • Super LazuliSuper Lazuli
    yea i make potions if ya know what i mean
    Well, I haven't looked, one might, it just sounded like the name of a blog to me, I guess.

    My brain makes the weirdest associations sometimes.
  • ClockworkUniverseClockworkUniverse
    OOOooooOoOoOOoo, I'm a ghoOooOooOOOost!
    Googling led me to bread and circuses.
  • HatterHatter
    Glaives are better.
    Mmm... bread...
  • BeholderessBeholderess
    What this  one believes in does not match what this one is. It bothers her. A lot.

    But in the end, this one is nothing, and that is much worse.

    This one  could go on about how it is wrong that she believes in liberty and equality yet prefers clearly defined rules and  hierarchy  for herself, how she values clear thinking yet is way too eager to fall under the charm of idealistic myth and so on...

    But so what? This one will not fall between her contradictions, will not make  a tragic mistake trying to tie  it all together. She is lazy hedonistic empty space who would simply do  nothing. Who cares that her ideals and preferences conflict with each other, if  this one already betrayed them both for laziness and comfort?

    "When I die, who will sing of me?"

    This one is too lazy and cowardly to  act. So it does not matter what she believes in.
  • RottweilerRottweiler
    Inside, too dark to read
    "When I die, who will sing of me?"

    Me.
  • HatterHatter
    edited 2011-07-28 00:12:33
    Glaives are better.

    Inaction - and the sating of one's lower needs - is not hedonism. Although there is a sort of bovine complacency about doing nothing but feeding and mating.

    No matter. The fact that we're having this conversation proves we're above the lower creatures. And if we share some of the same urges and needs, why not enjoy them? 

    ^ In the end, Rott, we're all dust. I would prefer to be the dust of a man who enjoyed himself and contributed something before buying the farm.

  • Super LazuliSuper Lazuli
    yea i make potions if ya know what i mean
    I prefer (good, artisan) bread to going to the circus, honestly.

    Circuses suck.
  • HatterHatter
    Glaives are better.
    The circus is the Internet and all other distractions.
  • Super LazuliSuper Lazuli
    yea i make potions if ya know what i mean
    Well then they shouldn't be calling it a circus, should they?

    Besides, if the circus is the internet, who are the clowns?
  • NovaNova
    edited 2011-07-28 00:17:25
    If you must eat a phoenix, boil it, do not roast it. This only encourages their mischievous habits.
    ^^^
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